Device, method, and graphical user interface for list scrolling on a touch-screen display

ABSTRACT

In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-implemented method for use in conjunction with a device with a touch screen display is disclosed. In the method, a movement of an object on or near the touch screen display is detected. In response to detecting the movement, a list of items displayed on the touch screen display is scrolled in a first direction. If a terminus of the list is reached while scrolling the list in the first direction while the object is still detected on or near the touch screen display, an area beyond the terminus of the list is displayed. In response to detecting that the object is no longer on or near the touch screen display, the list is scrolled in a second direction until the area beyond the terminus of the list is no longer displayed.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/956,969, filed Dec. 14, 2007 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,469,381, entitled“List Scrolling and Document Translation, Scaling, and Rotation on aTouch-Screen Display”, which in turn claims priority to U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Nos. 60/937,993, “Portable Multifunction Device,”filed Jun. 29, 2007; 60/946,971, “List Scrolling and DocumentTranslation, Scaling, and Rotation on a Touch -Screen Display,” filedJun. 28, 2007; 60/945,858, “List Scrolling and Document Translation on aTouch-Screen Display,” filed Jun. 22, 2007; 60/879,469, “PortableMultifunction Device,” filed Jan. 8, 2007; 60/883,801, “List Scrollingand Document Translation on a Touch-Screen Display,” filed Jan. 7, 2007;and 60/879,253, “Portable Multifunction Device,” filed Jan. 7, 2007. Allof these applications are incorporated by reference herein in theirentirety.

This application is related to the following applications: (1) U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/188,182, “Touch Pad For Handheld Device,”filed on Jul. 1, 2002; (2) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/722,948,“Touch Pad For Handheld Device,” filed on Nov. 25, 2003; (3) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/643,256, “Movable Touch Pad With AddedFunctionality,” filed on Aug. 18, 2003; (4) U.S. patent application Ser.No. 10/654,108, “Ambidextrous Mouse,” filed on Sep. 2, 2003; (5) U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/840,862, “Multipoint Touchscreen,” filedon May 6, 2004; (6) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/903,964,“Gestures For Touch Sensitive Input Devices,” filed on Jul. 30, 2004;(7) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/038,590, “Mode-Based GraphicalUser Interfaces For Touch Sensitive Input Devices” filed on Jan. 18,2005; (8) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/057,050, “DisplayActuator,” filed on Feb. 11, 2005; (9) U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/658,777, “Multi-Functional Hand-Held Device,” filedMar. 4, 2005; (10) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/367,749,“Multi-Functional Hand-Held Device,” filed Mar. 3, 2006; and (11) U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 60/824,769, “Portable MultifunctionDevice,” filed Sep. 6, 2006. All of these applications are incorporatedby reference herein in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosed embodiments relate generally to devices with touch-screendisplays, and more particularly to scrolling lists and to translating,rotating, and scaling electronic documents on devices with touch-screendisplays.

BACKGROUND

As portable electronic devices become more compact, and the number offunctions performed by a given device increases, it has become asignificant challenge to design a user interface that allows users toeasily interact with a multifunction device. This challenge isparticularly significant for handheld portable devices, which have muchsmaller screens than desktop or laptop computers. This situation isunfortunate because the user interface is the gateway through whichusers receive not only content but also responses to user actions orbehaviors, including user attempts to access a device's features, tools,and functions. Some portable communication devices (e.g., mobiletelephones, sometimes called mobile phones, cell phones, cellulartelephones, and the like) have resorted to adding more pushbuttons,increasing the density of push buttons, overloading the functions ofpushbuttons, or using complex menu systems to allow a user to access,store and manipulate data. These conventional user interfaces oftenresult in complicated key sequences and menu hierarchies that must bememorized by the user.

Many conventional user interfaces, such as those that include physicalpushbuttons, are also inflexible. This is unfortunate because it mayprevent a user interface from being configured and/or adapted by eitheran application running on the portable device or by users. When coupledwith the time consuming requirement to memorize multiple key sequencesand menu hierarchies, and the difficulty in activating a desiredpushbutton, such inflexibility is frustrating to most users.

As a result of the small size of display screens on portable electronicdevices and the potentially large size of electronic files, frequentlyonly a portion of a list or of an electronic document of interest to auser can be displayed on the screen at a given time. Users thus willfrequently need to scroll displayed lists or to translate displayedelectronic documents. Users also will need to rotate and to scale (i.e.,magnify or de-magnify) displayed electronic documents. However, thelimitations of conventional user interfaces can cause these actions tobe awkward to perform.

Furthermore, scrolling displayed lists and translating electronicdocuments can be awkward on both portable and non-portable electronicdevices with touch-screen displays. A user may become frustrated if thescrolling or translation does not reflect the user's intent. Similarly,a user may become frustrated if rotation and scaling of electronicdocuments does not reflect the user's intent.

Accordingly, there is a need for devices with touch-screen displays withmore transparent and intuitive user interfaces for scrolling lists ofitems and for translating, rotating, and scaling electronic documentsthat are easy to use, configure, and/or adapt.

SUMMARY

The above deficiencies and other problems associated with userinterfaces for portable devices and devices with touch-sensitivedisplays are reduced or eliminated by the disclosed device. In someembodiments, the device has a touch-sensitive display (also known as a“touch screen”) with a graphical user interface (GUI), one or moreprocessors, memory and one or more modules, programs or sets ofinstructions stored in the memory for performing multiple functions. Insome embodiments, the user interacts with the GUI primarily throughfinger contacts and gestures on the touch-sensitive display. In someembodiments, the functions may include telephoning, video conferencing,e-mailing, instant messaging, blogging, digital photographing, digitalvideoing, web browsing, digital music playing, and/or digital videoplaying. Instructions for performing these functions may be included ina computer program product configured for execution by one or moreprocessors.

In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-implemented method foruse in conjunction with a device with a touch screen display isdisclosed. In the method, a movement of an object on or near the touchscreen display is detected. In response to detecting the movement, anelectronic document displayed on the touch screen display is translatedin a first direction. If an edge of the electronic document is reachedwhile translating the electronic document in the first direction whilethe object is still detected on or near the touch screen display, anarea beyond the edge of the document is displayed. After the object isno longer detected on or near the touch screen display, the document istranslated in a second direction until the area beyond the edge of thedocument is no longer displayed.

In accordance with some embodiments, a graphical user interface on adevice with a touch screen display is disclosed, comprising a portion ofan electronic document displayed on the touch screen display and an areabeyond an edge of the document. In the graphical user interface, inresponse to detecting a movement of an object on or near the touchscreen display, the electronic document is translated in a firstdirection. If the edge of the electronic document is reached whiletranslating the electronic document in the first direction while theobject is still detected on or near the touch screen display, the areabeyond the edge of the document is displayed. After the object is nolonger detected on or near the touch screen display, the document istranslated in a second direction until the area beyond the edge of thedocument is no longer displayed.

In accordance with some embodiments, a device is disclosed, comprising atouch screen display, one or more processors, memory, and one or moreprograms. The one or more programs are stored in the memory andconfigured to be executed by the one or more processors. The one or moreprograms include instructions for detecting a movement of an object onor near the touch screen display and instructions for translating anelectronic document displayed on the touch screen display in a firstdirection, in response to detecting the movement. The one or moreprograms also include instructions for displaying an area beyond an edgeof the electronic document if the edge of the electronic document isreached while translating the electronic document in the first directionwhile the object is still detected on or near the touch screen display.The one or more programs further include instructions for translatingthe document in a second direction until the area beyond the edge of thedocument is no longer displayed, after the object is no longer detectedon or near the touch screen display.

In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-program product isdisclosed, comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computerprogram mechanism embedded therein. The computer program mechanismcomprises instructions, which when executed by a device with a touchscreen display, cause the device to detect a movement of an object on ornear the touch screen display and to translate an electronic documentdisplayed on the touch screen display in a first direction, in responseto detecting the movement. The instructions also cause the device todisplay an area beyond an edge of the electronic document if the edge ofthe electronic document is reached while translating the electronicdocument in the first direction while the object is still detected on ornear the touch screen display. The instructions further cause the deviceto translate the document in a second direction until the area beyondthe edge of the document is no longer displayed, after the object is nolonger detected on or near the touch screen display.

In accordance with some embodiments, a device with a touch screendisplay is disclosed. The device comprises means for detecting amovement of an object on or near the touch screen display and means fortranslating an electronic document displayed on the touch screen displayin a first direction, in response to detecting the movement. The devicealso comprises means for displaying an area beyond an edge of theelectronic document if the edge of the electronic document is reachedwhile translating the electronic document in the first direction whilethe object is still detected on or near the touch screen display. Thedevice further comprises means for translating the document in a seconddirection until the area beyond the edge of the document is no longerdisplayed, after the object is no longer detected on or near the touchscreen display.

In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-implemented method foruse in conjunction with a device with a touch screen display isdisclosed. In the method, a movement of an object on or near the touchscreen display is detected. In response to detecting the movement, alist of items displayed on the touch screen display is scrolled in afirst direction. If a terminus of the list is reached while scrollingthe list in the first direction while the object is still detected on ornear the touch screen display, an area beyond the terminus of the listis displayed. After the object is no longer detected on or near thetouch screen display, the list is scrolled in a second directionopposite the first direction until the area beyond the terminus of thelist is no longer displayed.

In accordance with some embodiments, a graphical user interface on adevice with a touch screen display is disclosed, comprising a portion ofa list of items displayed on the touch screen display and an area beyonda terminus of the list. In response to detecting a movement of an objecton or near the touch screen display, the list is scrolled in a firstdirection. If the terminus of the list is reached while scrolling thelist in the first direction while the object is still detected on ornear the touch screen display, the area beyond the terminus of the listis displayed. After the object is no longer detected on or near thetouch screen display, the list is scrolled in a second directionopposite the first direction until the area beyond the terminus of thelist is no longer displayed.

In accordance with some embodiments, a device is disclosed, comprising atouch screen display, one or more processors, memory, and one or moreprograms. The one or more programs are stored in the memory andconfigured to be executed by the one or more processors. The one or moreprograms include instructions for detecting a movement of an object onor near the touch screen display and instructions for scrolling a listof items displayed on the touch screen display in a first direction inresponse to detecting the movement. The one or more programs alsoinclude instructions for displaying an area beyond a terminus of thelist if the terminus of the list is reached while scrolling the list inthe first direction while the object is still detected on or near thetouch screen display. The one or more programs further includeinstructions for scrolling the list in a second direction opposite thefirst direction until the area beyond the terminus of the list is nolonger displayed, after the object is no longer detected on or near thetouch screen display.

In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-program product isdisclosed, comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computerprogram mechanism embedded therein. The computer program mechanismcomprises instructions, which when executed by a device with a touchscreen display, cause the device to detect a movement of an object on ornear the touch screen display and to scroll a list of items displayed onthe touch screen display in a first direction in response to detectingthe movement. The instructions also cause the device to display an areabeyond a terminus of the list if the terminus of the list is reachedwhile scrolling the list in the first direction while the object isstill detected on or near the touch screen display. The instructionsfurther cause the device to scroll the list in a second directionopposite the first direction until the area beyond the terminus of thelist is no longer displayed, after the object is no longer detected onor near the touch screen display.

In accordance with some embodiments, a device with a touch screendisplay is disclosed. The device comprises means for detecting amovement of an object on or near the touch screen display and means forscrolling a list of items displayed on the touch screen display in afirst direction in response to detecting the movement. The device alsocomprises means for displaying an area beyond a terminus of the list ifthe terminus of the list is reached while scrolling the list in thefirst direction while the object is still detected on or near the touchscreen display. The device further comprises means for scrolling thelist in a second direction opposite the first direction until the areabeyond the terminus of the list is no longer displayed, after the objectis no longer detected on or near the touch screen display.

In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-implemented method foruse at a device with a touch screen display includes detecting amultifinger twisting gesture on or near the touch screen display. Themultifinger twisting gesture has a corresponding degree of rotation. Ifthe corresponding degree of rotation exceeds a predefined degree ofrotation, a 90° screen rotation command is executed. If thecorresponding degree of rotation is less than the predefined degree ofrotation, a screen rotation command with an acute angle of rotation isexecuted and, upon ceasing to detect the multifinger twisting gesture, ascreen rotation command with an angle of rotation opposite to the acuteangle is executed.

In accordance with some embodiments, a device includes a touch screendisplay, one or more processors, memory, and one or more programs. Theone or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to beexecuted by the one or more processors. The one or more programsinclude: instructions for detecting a multifinger twisting gesture on ornear the touch screen display, wherein the multifinger twisting gesturehas a corresponding degree of rotation; instructions for executing a 90°screen rotation command, if the corresponding degree of rotation exceedsa predefined degree of rotation; and instructions for executing a screenrotation command with an acute angle of rotation and for executing, uponceasing to detect the multifinger twisting gesture, a screen rotationcommand with an angle of rotation opposite to the acute angle, if thecorresponding degree of rotation is less than the predefined degree ofrotation.

In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-program product includesa computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanismembedded therein. The computer program mechanism includes instructions,which when executed by a device with a touch screen display, cause thedevice to: detect a multifinger twisting gesture on or near the touchscreen display, wherein the multifinger twisting gesture has acorresponding degree of rotation; execute a 90° screen rotation command,if the corresponding degree of rotation exceeds a predefined degree ofrotation; and execute a screen rotation command with an acute angle ofrotation and, upon ceasing to detect the multifinger twisting gesture,execute a screen rotation command with an angle of rotation opposite tothe acute angle, if the corresponding degree of rotation is less thanthe predefined degree of rotation.

In accordance with some embodiments, a device with a touch screendisplay includes: means for detecting a multifinger twisting gesture onor near the touch screen display, wherein the multifinger twistinggesture has a corresponding degree of rotation; means for executing a90° screen rotation command, if the corresponding degree of rotationexceeds a predefined degree of rotation; and means for executing ascreen rotation command with an acute angle of rotation and, uponceasing to detect the multifinger twisting gesture, for executing ascreen rotation command with an angle of rotation opposite to the acuteangle, if the corresponding degree of rotation is less than thepredefined degree of rotation.

In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-implemented method ofdisplaying an electronic document having a document length and adocument width, for use at a device with a touch screen display,includes displaying the electronic document at a first magnification anddetecting a gesture on or near the touch screen display corresponding toa command to zoom out by a user-specified amount. In response todetecting the gesture, the electronic document is displayed at amagnification less than the first magnification. If the document lengthor document width is entirely displayed while the gesture is stilldetected on or near the touch screen display, the electronic document isdisplayed at a magnification wherein areas beyond opposite edges of theelectronic document are displayed, and upon detecting termination of thegesture, the electronic document is displayed at a magnification whereinthe areas beyond opposite edges of the electronic document are no longerdisplayed.

In accordance with some embodiments, a graphical user interface on adevice with a touch screen display includes an electronic documenthaving a document length and a document width, to be displayed on thetouch screen display at multiple magnifications including a firstmagnification, and areas beyond opposite edges of the electronicdocument. In response to detecting a gesture on or near the touch screendisplay corresponding to a command to zoom out by a user-specifiedamount, wherein the gesture is detected while displaying the electronicdocument at the first magnification, the electronic document isdisplayed at a magnification less than the first magnification. If thedocument length or document width is entirely displayed while thegesture is still detected on or near the touch screen display, theelectronic document is displayed at a magnification wherein the areasbeyond opposite edges of the electronic document are displayed, and upondetecting termination of the gesture, the electronic document isdisplayed at a magnification wherein the areas beyond opposite edges ofthe electronic document are no longer displayed.

In accordance with some embodiments, a device includes a touch screendisplay, one or more processors, memory, and one or more programs. Theone or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to beexecuted by the one or more processors. The one or more programsinclude: instructions for displaying an electronic document at a firstmagnification; instructions for detecting a gesture on or near the touchscreen display corresponding to a command to zoom out by auser-specified amount; instructions for displaying the electronicdocument at a magnification less than the first magnification, inresponse to detecting the gesture; instructions for displaying theelectronic document at a magnification wherein areas beyond oppositeedges of the electronic document are displayed, if a document length ora document width is entirely displayed while the gesture is stilldetected on or near the touch screen display; and instructions fordisplaying the electronic document at a magnification wherein the areasbeyond opposite edges of the electronic document are no longerdisplayed, upon detecting termination of the gesture.

In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-program product includesa computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanismembedded therein. The computer program mechanism includes instructions,which when executed by a device with a touch screen display, cause thedevice to: display an electronic document at a first magnification;detect a gesture on or near the touch screen display corresponding to acommand to zoom out by a user-specified amount; display the electronicdocument at a magnification less than the first magnification, inresponse to detecting the gesture; display the electronic document at amagnification wherein areas beyond opposite edges of the electronicdocument are displayed, if a document length or a document width isentirely displayed while the gesture is still detected on or near thetouch screen display; and display the electronic document at amagnification wherein the areas beyond opposite edges of the electronicdocument are no longer displayed, upon detecting termination of thegesture.

In accordance with some embodiments, a device with a touch screendisplay includes: means for displaying an electronic document at a firstmagnification; means for detecting a gesture on or near the touch screendisplay corresponding to a command to zoom out by a user-specifiedamount; means for displaying the electronic document at a magnificationless than the first magnification, in response to detecting the gesture;means for displaying the electronic document at a magnification whereinareas beyond opposite edges of the electronic document are displayed, ifa document length or a document width is entirely displayed while thegesture is still detected on or near the touch screen display; and meansfor displaying the electronic document at a magnification wherein theareas beyond opposite edges of the electronic document are no longerdisplayed, upon detecting termination of the gesture.

In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-implemented method ofdisplaying an electronic document, for use at a device with a touchscreen display, includes displaying at least a first portion of theelectronic document at a first magnification and detecting a gesture onor near the touch screen display corresponding to a command to zoom inby a user-specified amount. In response to detecting the gesture,decreasing portions of the electronic document are displayed atincreasing magnifications. Upon detecting termination of the gesture, ifthe magnification exceeds a predefined magnification, a respectiveportion of the electronic document is displayed at the predefinedmagnification.

In accordance with some embodiments, a graphical user interface on adevice with a touch screen display includes decreasing portions of anelectronic document, to be displayed on the touch screen display atincreasing magnifications. The decreasing portions of the electronicdocument include a first portion. In response to detecting a gesture onor near the touch screen display corresponding to a command to zoom inby a user-specified amount, wherein the gesture is detected whiledisplaying at least the first portion of an electronic document at afirst magnification, the decreasing portions of the electronic documentare displayed at the increasing magnifications. Upon detectingtermination of the gesture, if the magnification exceeds a predefinedmagnification, a respective portion of the electronic document isdisplayed at the predefined magnification.

In accordance with some embodiments, a device includes a touch screendisplay, one or more processors, memory, and one or more programs. Theone or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to beexecuted by the one or more processors. The one or more programsinclude: instructions for displaying at least a first portion of anelectronic document at a first magnification; instructions for detectinga gesture on or near the touch screen display corresponding to a commandto zoom in by a user-specified amount; instructions for displayingdecreasing portions of the electronic document at increasingmagnifications, in response to detecting the gesture; and instructionsfor displaying a respective portion of the electronic document at apredefined magnification if, upon detecting termination of the gesture,the magnification exceeds the predefined magnification.

In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-program product includesa computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanismembedded therein. The computer program mechanism includes instructions,which when executed by a device with a touch screen display, cause thedevice to: display at least a first portion of an electronic document ata first magnification; detect a gesture on or near the touch screendisplay corresponding to a command to zoom in by a user-specifiedamount; display decreasing portions of the electronic document atincreasing magnifications, in response to detecting the gesture; anddisplay a respective portion of the electronic document at a predefinedmagnification if, upon detecting termination of the gesture, themagnification exceeds a predefined magnification.

In accordance with some embodiments, a device with a touch screendisplay includes means for displaying at least a first portion of anelectronic document at a first magnification; means for detecting agesture on or near the touch screen display corresponding to a commandto zoom in by a user-specified amount; means for displaying decreasingportions of the electronic document at increasing magnifications, inresponse to detecting the gesture; and means for displaying a respectiveportion of the electronic document at a predefined magnification if,upon detecting termination of the gesture, the magnification exceeds thepredefined magnification.

The disclosed embodiments provide for easy and intuitive scrolling oflists and translating of electronic documents on a device with a touchscreen display, and for easy and intuitive rotation and scaling ofelectronic documents on a device with a touch screen display.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the aforementioned embodiments of theinvention as well as additional embodiments thereof, reference should bemade to the Description of Embodiments below, in conjunction with thefollowing drawings in which like reference numerals refer tocorresponding parts throughout the figures.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a portable multifunction devicewith a touch-sensitive display in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 2 illustrates a portable multifunction device having a touch screenin accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary user interface for unlocking a portableelectronic device in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary user interface for a menu ofapplications on a portable multifunction device in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of scrolling through alist in accordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 6A-6D illustrate an exemplary user interface for managing an inboxin accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of translating anelectronic document in accordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 8A-8D illustrate an exemplary user interface for a browser inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating a process of displaying anelectronic document at multiple magnifications in accordance with someembodiments.

FIGS. 10A-10C illustrate the display of an electronic document atmultiple magnifications in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating a process of displaying anelectronic document at multiple magnifications in accordance with someembodiments.

FIGS. 12A-12C illustrate the display of an electronic document atmultiple magnifications in accordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 13A-13C illustrate the display of an electronic document atmultiple magnifications in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 14 is a flow diagram illustrating a process of executing a screenrotation command in accordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 15A-15E illustrate rotating the display of an electronic documentor other digital object in accordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 16A-16F illustrate an exemplary screen rotation gesture inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustrating a device with a touch-screendisplay in accordance with some embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of whichare illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following detaileddescription, numerous specific details are set forth in order to providea thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will beapparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present inventionmay be practiced without these specific details. In other instances,well-known methods, procedures, components, circuits, and networks havenot been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspectsof the embodiments.

Embodiments of a portable multifunction device, user interfaces for suchdevices, and associated processes for using such devices are described.In some embodiments, the device is a portable communications device suchas a mobile telephone that also contains other functions, such as PDAand/or music player functions.

The user interface may include a physical click wheel in addition to atouch screen or a virtual click wheel displayed on the touch screen. Aclick wheel is a user-interface device that may provide navigationcommands based on an angular displacement of the wheel or a point ofcontact with the wheel by a user of the device. A click wheel may alsobe used to provide a user command corresponding to selection of one ormore items, for example, when the user of the device presses down on atleast a portion of the wheel or the center of the wheel. Alternatively,breaking contact with a click wheel image on a touch screen surface mayindicate a user command corresponding to selection. For simplicity, inthe discussion that follows, a portable multifunction device thatincludes a touch screen is used as an exemplary embodiment. It should beunderstood, however, that some of the user interfaces and associatedprocesses may be applied to other devices, such as personal computersand laptop computers, that may include one or more other physicaluser-interface devices, such as a physical click wheel, a physicalkeyboard, a mouse and/or a joystick.

The device supports a variety of applications, such as a telephoneapplication, a video conferencing application, an e-mail application, aninstant messaging application, a blogging application, a digital cameraapplication, a digital video camera application, a web browsingapplication, a digital music player application, and/or a digital videoplayer application.

The various applications that may be executed on the device may use atleast one common physical user-interface device, such as the touchscreen. One or more functions of the touch screen as well ascorresponding information displayed on the device may be adjusted and/orvaried from one application to the next and/or within a respectiveapplication. In this way, a common physical architecture (such as thetouch screen) of the device may support the variety of applications withuser interfaces that are intuitive and transparent.

The user interfaces may include one or more soft keyboard embodiments.The soft keyboard embodiments may include standard (QWERTY) and/ornon-standard configurations of symbols on the displayed icons of thekeyboard, such as those described in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos.11/459,606, “Keyboards For Portable Electronic Devices,” filed Jul. 24,2006, and No. 11/459,615, “Touch Screen Keyboards For PortableElectronic Devices,” filed Jul. 24, 2006, the contents of which arehereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. The keyboardembodiments may include a reduced number of icons (or soft keys)relative to the number of keys in existing physical keyboards, such asthat for a typewriter. This may make it easier for users to select oneor more icons in the keyboard, and thus, one or more correspondingsymbols. The keyboard embodiments may be adaptive. For example,displayed icons may be modified in accordance with user actions, such asselecting one or more icons and/or one or more corresponding symbols.One or more applications on the portable device may utilize commonand/or different keyboard embodiments. Thus, the keyboard embodimentused may be tailored to at least some of the applications. In someembodiments, one or more keyboard embodiments may be tailored to arespective user. For example, based on a word usage history(lexicography, slang, individual usage) of the respective user. Some ofthe keyboard embodiments may be adjusted to reduce a probability of auser error when selecting one or more icons, and thus one or moresymbols, when using the soft keyboard embodiments.

Attention is now directed towards embodiments of the device. FIG. 1 is ablock diagram illustrating a portable multifunction device 100 with atouch-sensitive display 112 in accordance with some embodiments. Thetouch-sensitive display 112 is sometimes called a “touch screen” forconvenience. The device 100 may include a memory 102 (which may includeone or more computer readable storage mediums), a memory controller 122,one or more processing units (CPU's) 120, a peripherals interface 118,RF circuitry 108, audio circuitry 110, a speaker 111, a microphone 113,an input/output (I/O) subsystem 106, other input or control devices 116,and an external port 124. The device 100 may include one or more opticalsensors 164. These components may communicate over one or morecommunication buses or signal lines 103.

It should be appreciated that the device 100 is only one example of aportable multifunction device 100, and that the device 100 may have moreor fewer components than shown, may combine two or more components, or amay have a different configuration or arrangement of the components. Thevarious components shown in FIG. 1 may be implemented in hardware,software or a combination of both hardware and software, including oneor more signal processing and/or application specific integratedcircuits.

Memory 102 may include high-speed random access memory and may alsoinclude non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic disk storagedevices, flash memory devices, or other non-volatile solid-state memorydevices. Access to memory 102 by other components of the device 100,such as the CPU 120 and the peripherals interface 118, may be controlledby the memory controller 122.

The peripherals interface 118 couples the input and output peripheralsof the device to the CPU 120 and memory 102. The one or more processors120 run or execute various software programs and/or sets of instructionsstored in memory 102 to perform various functions for the device 100 andto process data.

In some embodiments, the peripherals interface 118, the CPU 120, and thememory controller 122 may be implemented on a single chip, such as achip 104. In some other embodiments, they may be implemented on separatechips.

The RF (radio frequency) circuitry 108 receives and sends RF signals,also called electromagnetic signals. The RF circuitry 108 convertselectrical signals to/from electromagnetic signals and communicates withcommunications networks and other communications devices via theelectromagnetic signals. The RF circuitry 108 may include well-knowncircuitry for performing these functions, including but not limited toan antenna system, an RF transceiver, one or more amplifiers, a tuner,one or more oscillators, a digital signal processor, a CODEC chipset, asubscriber identity module (SIM) card, memory, and so forth. The RFcircuitry 108 may communicate with networks, such as the Internet, alsoreferred to as the World Wide Web (WWW), an intranet and/or a wirelessnetwork, such as a cellular telephone network, a wireless local areanetwork (LAN) and/or a metropolitan area network (MAN), and otherdevices by wireless communication. The wireless communication may useany of a plurality of communications standards, protocols andtechnologies, including but not limited to Global System for MobileCommunications (GSM), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), widebandcode division multiple access (W-CDMA), code division multiple access(CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), Bluetooth, WirelessFidelity (Wi-Fi) (e.g., IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g and/orIEEE 802.11n), voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Wi-MAX, a protocolfor email, instant messaging, and/or Short Message Service (SMS)), orany other suitable communication protocol, including communicationprotocols not yet developed as of the filing date of this document.

The audio circuitry 110, the speaker 111, and the microphone 113 providean audio interface between a user and the device 100. The audiocircuitry 110 receives audio data from the peripherals interface 118,converts the audio data to an electrical signal, and transmits theelectrical signal to the speaker 111. The speaker 111 converts theelectrical signal to human-audible sound waves. The audio circuitry 110also receives electrical signals converted by the microphone 113 fromsound waves. The audio circuitry 110 converts the electrical signal toaudio data and transmits the audio data to the peripherals interface 118for processing. Audio data may be retrieved from and/or transmitted tomemory 102 and/or the RF circuitry 108 by the peripherals interface 118.In some embodiments, the audio circuitry 110 also includes a headsetjack (not shown). The headset jack provides an interface between theaudio circuitry 110 and removable audio input/output peripherals, suchas output-only headphones or a headset with both output (e.g., aheadphone for one or both ears) and input (e.g., a microphone).

The I/O subsystem 106 couples input/output peripherals on the device100, such as the display system 112 and other input/control devices 116,to the peripherals interface 118. The I/O subsystem 106 may include adisplay controller 156 and one or more input controllers 160 for otherinput or control devices. The one or more input controllers 160receive/send electrical signals from/to other input or control devices116. The other input/control devices 116 may include physical buttons(e.g., push buttons, rocker buttons, etc.), dials, slider switches,joysticks, click wheels, and so forth. In some alternate embodiments,input controller(s) 160 may be coupled to any (or none) of thefollowing: a keyboard, infrared port, USB port, and a pointer devicesuch as a mouse. The one or more buttons (e.g., 208, FIG. 2) may includean up/down button for volume control of the speaker 111 and/or themicrophone 113. The one or more buttons may include a push button (e.g.,206, FIG. 2). A quick press of the push button may disengage a lock ofthe touch screen 112 or begin a process that uses gestures on the touchscreen to unlock the device, as described in U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/322,549, “Unlocking a Device by Performing Gestures on anUnlock Image,” filed Dec. 23, 2005, which is hereby incorporated byreference herein in its entirety. A longer press of the push button(e.g., 206) may turn power to the device 100 on or off. The user may beable to customize a functionality of one or more of the buttons. Thetouch screen 112 is used to implement virtual or soft buttons and one ormore soft keyboards.

The touch-sensitive display system 112 provides an input interface andan output interface between the device and a user. The displaycontroller 156 receives and/or sends electrical signals from/to thedisplay system 112. The display system 112 displays visual output to theuser. The visual output may include graphics, text, icons, video, andany combination thereof (collectively termed “graphics”). In someembodiments, some or all of the visual output may correspond touser-interface objects, further details of which are described below.

A touch screen in display system 112 is a touch-sensitive surface thataccepts input from the user based on haptic and/or tactile contact. Thedisplay system 112 and the display controller 156 (along with anyassociated modules and/or sets of instructions in memory 102) detectcontact (and any movement or breaking of the contact) on the displaysystem 112 and converts the detected contact into interaction withuser-interface objects (e.g., one or more soft keys, icons, web pages orimages) that are displayed on the touch screen. In an exemplaryembodiment, a point of contact between a touch screen in the displaysystem 112 and the user corresponds to a finger of the user.

The touch screen in the display system 112 may use LCD (liquid crystaldisplay) technology, or LPD (light emitting polymer display) technology,although other display technologies may be used in other embodiments.The touch screen in the display system 112 and the display controller156 may detect contact and any movement or breaking thereof using any ofa plurality of touch sensing technologies now known or later developed,including but not limited to capacitive, resistive, infrared, andsurface acoustic wave technologies, as well as other proximity sensorarrays or other elements for determining one or more points of contactwith a touch screen in the display system 112. A touch-sensitive displayin some embodiments of the display system 112 may be analogous to themulti-touch sensitive tablets described in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.6,323,846 (Westerman et al.), 6,570,557 (Westerman et al.), and/or6,677,932 (Westerman), and/or U.S. Patent Publication 2002/0015024A1,each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in theirentirety. However, a touch screen in the display system 112 displaysvisual output from the portable device 100, whereas touch sensitivetablets do not provide visual output. The touch screen in the displaysystem 112 may have a resolution in excess of 100 dpi. In an exemplaryembodiment, the touch screen in the display system has a resolution ofapproximately 168 dpi. The user may make contact with the touch screenin the display system 112 using any suitable object or appendage, suchas a stylus, a finger, and so forth. In some embodiments, the userinterface is designed to work primarily with finger-based contacts andgestures, which are much less precise than stylus-based input due to thelarger area of contact of a finger on the touch screen. In someembodiments, the device translates the rough finger-based input into aprecise pointer/cursor position or command for performing the actionsdesired by the user.

A touch-sensitive display in some embodiments of the display system 112may be as described in the following applications: (1) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/381,313, “Multipoint Touch Surface Controller,”filed on May 2, 2006; (2) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/840,862,“Multipoint Touchscreen,” filed on May 6, 2004; (3) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/903,964, “Gestures For Touch Sensitive InputDevices,” filed on Jul. 30, 2004; (4) U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/048,264, “Gestures For Touch Sensitive Input Devices,” filed on Jan.31, 2005; (5) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/038,590, “Mode-BasedGraphical User Interfaces For Touch Sensitive Input Devices,” filed onJan. 18, 2005; (6) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/228,758, “VirtualInput Device Placement On A Touch Screen User Interface,” filed on Sep.16, 2005; (7) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/228,700, “Operation OfA Computer With A Touch Screen Interface,” filed on Sep. 16, 2005; (8)U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/228,737, “Activating Virtual Keys OfA Touch-Screen Virtual Keyboard,” filed on Sep. 16, 2005; and (9) U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/367,749, “Multi-Functional Hand-HeldDevice,” filed on Mar. 3, 2006. All of these applications areincorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

In some embodiments, in addition to the touch screen, the device 100 mayinclude a touchpad (not shown) for activating or deactivating particularfunctions. In some embodiments, the touchpad is a touch-sensitive areaof the device that, unlike the touch screen, does not display visualoutput. The touchpad may be a touch-sensitive surface that is separatefrom the touch screen in the display system 112 or an extension of thetouch-sensitive surface formed by the touch screen.

In some embodiments, the device 100 may include a physical or virtualclick wheel as an input control device 116. A user may navigate amongand interact with one or more graphical objects (henceforth referred toas icons) displayed in the display system 112 by rotating the clickwheel or by moving a point of contact with the click wheel (e.g., wherethe amount of movement of the point of contact is measured by itsangular displacement with respect to a center point of the click wheel).The click wheel may also be used to select one or more of the displayedicons. For example, the user may press down on at least a portion of theclick wheel or an associated button. User commands and navigationcommands provided by the user via the click wheel may be processed by aninput controller 160 as well as one or more of the modules and/or setsof instructions in memory 102. For a virtual click wheel, the clickwheel and click wheel controller may be part of the display system 112and the display controller 156, respectively. For a virtual click wheel,the click wheel may be either an opaque or semitransparent object thatappears and disappears on the touch screen display in response to userinteraction with the device. In some embodiments, a virtual click wheelis displayed on the touch screen of a portable multifunction device andoperated by user contact with the touch screen.

The device 100 also includes a power system 162 for powering the variouscomponents. The power system 162 may include a power management system,one or more power sources (e.g., battery, alternating current (AC)), arecharging system, a power failure detection circuit, a power converteror inverter, a power status indicator (e.g., a light-emitting diode(LED)) and any other components associated with the generation,management and distribution of power in portable devices.

The device 100 may also include one or more optical sensors 164. FIG. 1shows an optical sensor coupled to an optical sensor controller 158 inI/O subsystem 106. The optical sensor 164 may include charge-coupleddevice (CCD) or complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS)phototransistors. The optical sensor 164 receives light from theenvironment, projected through one or more lens, and converts the lightto data representing an image. In conjunction with an imaging module143, the optical sensor 164 may capture still images or video. In someembodiments, an optical sensor is located on the back of the device 100,opposite the touch screen display 112 on the front of the device, sothat the touch screen display may be used as a viewfinder for eitherstill and/or video image acquisition. In some embodiments, an opticalsensor is located on the front of the device so that the user's imagemay be obtained for videoconferencing while the user views the othervideo conference participants on the touch screen display. In someembodiments, the position of the optical sensor 164 can be changed bythe user (e.g., by rotating the lens and the sensor in the devicehousing) so that a single optical sensor 164 may be used along with thetouch screen display for both video conferencing and still and/or videoimage acquisition.

The device 100 may also include one or more proximity sensors 166. FIG.1 shows a proximity sensor 166 coupled to the peripherals interface 118.Alternately, the proximity sensor 166 may be coupled to an inputcontroller 160 in the I/O subsystem 106. The proximity sensor 166 mayperform as described in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/241,839,“Proximity Detector In Handheld Device,” filed Sep. 30, 2005, and Ser.No. 11/240,788, “Proximity Detector In Handheld Device,” filed Sep. 30,2005, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in theirentirety. In some embodiments, the proximity sensor turns off anddisables the touch screen 112 when the multifunction device is placednear the user's ear (e.g., when the user is making a phone call). Insome embodiments, the proximity sensor keeps the screen off when thedevice is in the user's pocket, purse, or other dark area to preventunnecessary battery drainage when the device is a locked state.

In some embodiments, the software components stored in memory 102 mayinclude an operating system 126, a communication module (or set ofinstructions) 128, a contact/motion module (or set of instructions) 130,a graphics module (or set of instructions) 132, a text input module (orset of instructions) 134, a Global Positioning System (GPS) module (orset of instructions) 135, and applications (or set of instructions) 136.

The operating system 126 (e.g., Darwin, RTXC, LINUX, UNIX, OS X,WINDOWS, or an embedded operating system such as VxWorks) includesvarious software components and/or drivers for controlling and managinggeneral system tasks (e.g., memory management, storage device control,power management, etc.) and facilitates communication between varioushardware and software components.

The communication module 128 facilitates communication with otherdevices over one or more external ports 124 and also includes varioussoftware components for handling data received by the RF circuitry 108and/or the external port 124. The external port 124 (e.g., UniversalSerial Bus (USB), FIREWIRE, etc.) is adapted for coupling directly toother devices or indirectly over a network (e.g., the Internet, wirelessLAN, etc.). In some embodiments, the external port is a multi-pin (e.g.,30-pin) connector that is the same as, or similar to and/or compatiblewith the 30-pin connector used on iPod (trademark of Apple Computer,Inc.) devices.

The contact/motion module 130 may detect contact with the touch screenin the display system 112 (in conjunction with the display controller156) and other touch sensitive devices (e.g., a touchpad or physicalclick wheel). The contact/motion module 130 includes various softwarecomponents for performing various operations related to detection ofcontact, such as determining if contact has occurred, determining ifthere is movement of the contact and tracking the movement across thetouch screen in the display system 112, and determining if the contacthas been broken (i.e., if the contact has ceased). Determining movementof the point of contact may include determining speed (magnitude),velocity (magnitude and direction), and/or an acceleration (a change inmagnitude and/or direction) of the point of contact. These operationsmay be applied to single contacts (e.g., one finger contacts) or tomultiple simultaneous contacts (e.g., “multitouch”/multiple fingercontacts). In some embodiments, the contact/motion module 130 and thedisplay controller 156 also detects contact on a touchpad. In someembodiments, the contact/motion module 130 detects movement of one ormore objects on or near the touch screen and/or the touchpad. In someembodiments, the contact/motion module 130 and the controller 160detects contact on a click wheel 116.

The graphics module 132 includes various known software components forrendering and displaying graphics on the display system 112, includingcomponents for changing the intensity of graphics that are displayed. Asused herein, the term “graphics” includes any object that can bedisplayed to a user, including without limitation text, web pages, icons(such as user-interface objects including soft keys), digital images,videos, animations and the like.

The text input module 134, which may be a component of graphics module132, provides soft keyboards for entering text in various applications(e.g., contacts 137, email 140, IM 141, blogging 142, browser 147, andany other application that needs text input).

The GPS module 135 determines the location of the device and providesthis information for use in various applications (e.g., to telephone 138for use in location-based dialing, to camera 143 and/or blogger 142 aspicture/video metadata, and to applications that provide location-basedservices such as weather widgets, local yellow page widgets, andmap/navigation widgets).

The applications 136 may include the following modules (or sets ofinstructions), or a subset or superset thereof:

-   -   a contacts module 137 (sometimes called an address book or        contact list);    -   a telephone module 138;    -   a video conferencing module 139;    -   an e-mail client module 140;    -   an instant messaging (IM) module 141;    -   a blogging module 142;    -   a camera module 143 for still and/or video images;    -   an image management module 144;    -   a video player module 145;    -   a music player module 146;    -   a browser module 147;    -   a calendar module 148;    -   widget modules 149, which may include weather widget 149-1,        stocks widget 149-2, calculator widget 149-3, alarm clock widget        149-4, dictionary widget 149-5, and other widgets obtained by        the user, as well as user-created widgets 149-6;    -   widget creator module 150 for making user-created widgets 149-6;        and/or    -   search module 151.

Examples of other applications 136 that may be stored in memory 102include memo pad and other word processing applications, JAVA-enabledapplications, encryption, digital rights management, voice recognition,and voice replication.

In conjunction with display system 112, display controller 156, contactmodule 130, graphics module 132, and text input module 134, the contactsmodule 137 may be used to manage an address book or contact list,including: adding name(s) to the address book; deleting name(s) from theaddress book; associating telephone number(s), e-mail address(es),physical address(es) or other information with a name; associating animage with a name; categorizing and sorting names; providing telephonenumbers or e-mail addresses to initiate and/or facilitate communicationsby telephone 138, video conference 139, e-mail 140, or IM 141; and soforth.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, audio circuitry 110, speaker 111,microphone 113, display system 112, display controller 156, contactmodule 130, graphics module 132, and text input module 134, thetelephone module 138 may be used to enter a sequence of characterscorresponding to a telephone number, access one or more telephonenumbers in the address book 137, modify a telephone number that has beenentered, dial a respective telephone number, conduct a conversation anddisconnect or hang up when the conversation is completed. As notedabove, the wireless communication may use any of a plurality ofcommunications standards, protocols and technologies.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, audio circuitry 110, speaker 111,microphone 113, display system 112, display controller 156, opticalsensor 164, optical sensor controller 158, contact module 130, graphicsmodule 132, text input module 134, contact list 137, and telephonemodule 138, the videoconferencing module 139 may be used to initiate,conduct, and terminate a video conference between a user and one or moreother participants.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, display system 112, displaycontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, and text inputmodule 134, the e-mail client module 140 may be used to create, send,receive, and manage e-mail. In conjunction with image management module144, the e-mail module 140 makes it very easy to create and send e-mailswith still or video images taken with camera module 143.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, display system 112, displaycontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, and text inputmodule 134, the instant messaging module 141 may be used to enter asequence of characters corresponding to an instant message, to modifypreviously entered characters, to transmit a respective instant message(for example, using a Short Message Service (SMS) or Multimedia MessageService (MMS) protocol), to receive instant messages and to viewreceived instant messages. In some embodiments, transmitted and/orreceived instant messages may include graphics, photos, audio files,video files and/or other attachments as are supported in a MMS and/or anEnhanced Messaging Service (EMS).

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, display system 112, displaycontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, text inputmodule 134, image management module 144, and browsing module 147, theblogging module 142 may be used to send text, still images, video,and/or other graphics to a blog (e.g., the user's blog).

In conjunction with display system 112, display controller 156, opticalsensor(s) 164, optical sensor controller 158, contact module 130,graphics module 132, and image management module 144, the camera module143 may be used to capture still images or video (including a videostream) and store them into memory 102, modify characteristics of astill image or video, or delete a still image or video from memory 102.

In conjunction with display system 112, display controller 156, contactmodule 130, graphics module 132, text input module 134, and cameramodule 143, the image management module 144 may be used to arrange,modify or otherwise manipulate, label, delete, present (e.g., in adigital slide show or album), and store still and/or video images.

In conjunction with display system 112, display controller 156, contactmodule 130, graphics module 132, audio circuitry 110, and speaker 111,the video player module 145 may be used to display, present or otherwiseplay back videos (e.g., on the touch screen or on an external, connecteddisplay via external port 124).

In conjunction with display system 112, display system controller 156,contact module 130, graphics module 132, audio circuitry 110, speaker111, RF circuitry 108, and browser module 147, the music player module146 allows the user to download and play back recorded music and othersound files stored in one or more file formats, such as MP3 or AACfiles. In some embodiments, the device 100 may include the functionalityof an MP3 player, such as an iPod (trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.).

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, display system 112, display systemcontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, and text inputmodule 134, the browser module 147 may be used to browse the Internet,including searching, linking to, receiving, and displaying web pages orportions thereof, as well as attachments and other files linked to webpages.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, display system 112, display systemcontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, text inputmodule 134, e-mail module 140, and browser module 147, the calendarmodule 148 may be used to create, display, modify, and store calendarsand data associated with calendars (e.g., calendar entries, to do lists,etc.).

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, display system 112, display systemcontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, text inputmodule 134, and browser module 147, the widget modules 149 aremini-applications that may be downloaded and used by a user (e.g.,weather widget 149-1, stocks widget 149-2, calculator widget 149-3,alarm clock widget 149-4, and dictionary widget 149-5) or created by theuser (e.g., user-created widget 149-6). In some embodiments, a widgetincludes an HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) file, a CSS (CascadingStyle Sheets) file, and a JavaScript file. In some embodiments, a widgetincludes an XML (Extensible Markup Language) file and a JavaScript file(e.g., Yahoo! Widgets).

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, display system 112, display systemcontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, text inputmodule 134, and browser module 147, the widget creator module 150 may beused by a user to create widgets (e.g., turning a user-specified portionof a web page into a widget).

In conjunction with display system 112, display system controller 156,contact module 130, graphics module 132, and text input module 134, thesearch module 151 may be used to search for text, music, sound, image,video, and/or other files in memory 102 that match one or more searchcriteria (e.g., one or more user-specified search terms).

Each of the above identified modules and applications correspond to aset of instructions for performing one or more functions describedabove. These modules (i.e., sets of instructions) need not beimplemented as separate software programs, procedures or modules, andthus various subsets of these modules may be combined or otherwisere-arranged in various embodiments. In some embodiments, memory 102 maystore a subset of the modules and data structures identified above.Furthermore, memory 102 may store additional modules and data structuresnot described above.

In some embodiments, the device 100 is a device where operation of apredefined set of functions on the device is performed exclusivelythrough a touch screen in the display system 112 and/or a touchpad. Byusing a touch screen and/or a touchpad as the primary input/controldevice for operation of the device 100, the number of physicalinput/control devices (such as push buttons, dials, and the like) on thedevice 100 may be reduced.

The predefined set of functions that may be performed exclusivelythrough a touch screen and/or a touchpad includes navigation betweenuser interfaces. In some embodiments, the touchpad, when touched by theuser, navigates the device 100 to a main, home, or root menu from anyuser interface that may be displayed on the device 100. In suchembodiments, the touchpad may be referred to as a “menu button.” In someother embodiments, the menu button may be a physical push button orother physical input/control device instead of a touchpad.

FIG. 2 illustrates a portable multifunction device 100 having a touchscreen 112 in accordance with some embodiments. The touch screen maydisplay one or more graphics. In this embodiment, as well as othersdescribed below, a user may select one or more of the graphics by makingcontact or touching the graphics, for example, with one or more fingers202 (not drawn to scale in the figure). In some embodiments, selectionof one or more graphics occurs when the user breaks contact with the oneor more graphics. In some embodiments, the contact may include agesture, such as one or more taps, one or more swipes (from left toright, right to left, upward and/or downward) and/or a rolling of afinger (from right to left, left to right, upward and/or downward) thathas made contact with the device 100. In some embodiments, inadvertentcontact with a graphic may not select the graphic. For example, a swipegesture that sweeps over an application icon may not select thecorresponding application when the gesture corresponding to selection isa tap.

The device 100 may also include one or more physical buttons, such as“home” or menu button 204. As described previously, the menu button 204may be used to navigate to any application 136 in a set of applicationsthat may be executed on the device 100. Alternatively, in someembodiments, the menu button is implemented as a soft key in a GUI intouch screen 112.

In one embodiment, the device 100 includes a touch screen 112, a menubutton 204, a push button 206 for powering the device on/off and lockingthe device, and volume adjustment button(s) 208. The push button 206 maybe used to turn the power on/off on the device by depressing the buttonand holding the button in the depressed state for a predefined timeinterval; to lock the device by depressing the button and releasing thebutton before the predefined time interval has elapsed; and/or to unlockthe device or initiate an unlock process. In an alternative embodiment,the device 100 also may accept verbal input for activation ordeactivation of some functions through the microphone 113.

Attention is now directed towards embodiments of user interfaces (“UI”)and associated processes that may be implemented on a portablemultifunction device 100 and/or on a device 1700 with a touch-screendisplay (FIG. 17).

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary user interface for unlocking a portableelectronic device in accordance with some embodiments. In someembodiments, user interface 300 includes the following elements, or asubset or superset thereof:

-   -   Unlock image 302 that is moved with a finger gesture to unlock        the device;    -   Arrow 304 that provides a visual cue to the unlock gesture;    -   Channel 306 that provides additional cues to the unlock gesture;    -   Time 308;    -   Day 310;    -   Date 312; and    -   Wallpaper image 314.

In some embodiments, the device detects contact with the touch-sensitivedisplay (e.g., a user's finger making contact on or near the unlockimage 302) while the device is in a user-interface lock state. Thedevice moves the unlock image 302 in accordance with the contact. Thedevice transitions to a user-interface unlock state if the detectedcontact corresponds to a predefined gesture, such as moving the unlockimage across channel 306. Conversely, the device maintains theuser-interface lock state if the detected contact does not correspond tothe predefined gesture. As noted above, processes that use gestures onthe touch screen to unlock the device are described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/322,549, “Unlocking a Device by PerformingGestures on an Unlock Image,” filed Dec. 23, 2005, which is herebyincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary user interface for a menu ofapplications on a portable multifunction device in accordance with someembodiments. In some embodiments, user interface 400 includes thefollowing elements, or a subset or superset thereof:

-   -   Signal strength indicator 402 for wireless communication;    -   Time 404;    -   Battery status indicator 406;    -   Tray 408 with icons for frequently used applications, such as        one or more of the following:        -   Phone 138;        -   E-mail client 140, which may include an indicator 410 of the            number of unread e-mails;        -   Browser 147; and        -   Music player 146; and    -   Icons for other applications, such as one or more of the        following:        -   IM 141;        -   Image management 144;        -   Camera 143;        -   Video player 145;        -   Weather 149-1;        -   Stocks 149-2;        -   Blog 142;        -   Calendar 148;        -   Calculator 149-3;        -   Alarm clock 149-4;        -   Dictionary 149-5; and        -   User-created widget 149-6.

In some embodiments, UI 400 displays all of the available applications136 on one screen so that there is no need to scroll through a list ofapplications (e.g., via a scroll bar or via a swipe gesture). In someembodiments, as the number of applications increases, the iconscorresponding to the applications may decrease in size so that allapplications may be displayed on a single screen without scrolling. Insome embodiments, having all applications on one screen and a menubutton enables a user to access any desired application with at most twoinputs, such as activating the menu button 204 and then activating thedesired application (e.g., by a tap or other finger gesture on the iconcorresponding to the application).

In some embodiments, UI 400 provides integrated access to bothwidget-based applications and non-widget-based applications. In someembodiments, all of the widgets, whether user-created or not, aredisplayed in UI 400. In other embodiments, activating the icon foruser-created widget 149-6 may lead to another UI (not shown) thatcontains the user-created widgets or icons corresponding to theuser-created widgets.

In some embodiments, a user may rearrange the icons in UI 400, e.g.,using processes described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/459,602, “Portable Electronic Device With Interface ReconfigurationMode,” filed Jul. 24, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety. For example, a user may move application iconsin and out of tray 408 using finger gestures.

In some embodiments, UI 400 includes a gauge (not shown) that displaysan updated account usage metric for an account associated with usage ofthe device (e.g., a cellular phone account), as described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/322,552, “Account Information Display ForPortable Communication Device,” filed Dec. 23, 2005, which is herebyincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

As discussed above, UI 400 may display all of the available applications136 on one screen so that there is no need to scroll through a list ofapplications. However, in some embodiments a touch-sensitive display mayinclude a GUI with one or more windows that display only a portion of alist of items (e.g., information items) or of an electronic document. Inresponse to detecting a movement of an object on or near thetouch-sensitive display, the list may be scrolled or the electronicdocument may be translated. Detecting the movement of the object mayinclude determining speed (magnitude), velocity (magnitude anddirection), and/or an acceleration (including magnitude and/ordirection) of the object. Scrolling through the list or translating thedocument may be accelerated in response to an accelerated movement ofthe object. In some embodiments, the scrolling and acceleration of thescrolling, or translation and acceleration of the translation, may be inaccordance with a simulation of a physical device having friction, i.e.,damped motion. For example, the scrolling or translation may correspondto a simulation of a force law or equation of motion having a mass orinertial term, as well as a dissipative term. In some embodiments, thesimulation may correspond to a cylinder rotating about its axis.

In some embodiments, accelerated movement of the detected object mayinclude an accelerated movement of a point of contact followed by abreaking of the point of contact. For example, the user may make contactwith the touch-sensitive display, swipe or sweep one or more of his orher fingers along the display (i.e., move and/or accelerate the point ofcontact), and optionally, break the point of contact with the display,i.e., move the one or more fingers away from the display. The swipe orsweep may be along a predefined axis of the touch-sensitive display ormay be within a predetermined angle of a predefined direction on thetouch-sensitive display. In other embodiments, the accelerated movementof the point of contact may include a first user gesture oriented alonga predefined axis of the touch-sensitive display or oriented within apredetermined angle of a predefined direction on the touch-sensitivedisplay.

Scrolling through the list of items or translating the electronicdocument may be further accelerated in response to detection of a secondmovement of an object on or near the touch-sensitive display, such as asecond sweeping motion of the point of contact along the predefined axisor within the predetermined angle of a predefined direction on thetouch-sensitive display and/or a second user gesture oriented along thepredefined axis or within the predetermined angle of a predefineddirection on the touch-sensitive display. For example, the user mayswipe one or more of his or her fingers along the touch-sensitivedisplay two or more times.

The scrolling through the list of items or the translation of theelectronic document may be stopped in accordance with the user breakingthe point of contact and then establishing a substantially stationarypoint of contact with the touch-sensitive display for at least apre-determined period of time. For example, after swiping one or more ofhis or her fingers along the touch-sensitive display and breaking thepoint of contact, the user may touch the display and hold the one ormore fingers that are touching the display stationary (or approximatelystationary) for one or more seconds, or fractions of a second.

The direction of scrolling or translation may be reversed in response tointersecting a virtual boundary corresponding to a terminus of the listor an edge of the electronic document. The scrolling reversal ortranslation reversal may correspond to a damped motion. For example,during scrolling, a displayed portion of the list of items may appear tobounce off of a boundary of the window in the touch-sensitive displaywhen a beginning or an end of the list of items is reached. Similarly,during translation, a displayed portion of the electronic document mayappear to bounce off of a boundary of the window in the touch-sensitivedisplay when an edge of the document is reached. The apparent bounce maycorrespond to a simulation of a viscous or elastic ball having momentumin a first direction striking an immovable and/or inelastic object, suchas a wall. The subsequent motion of the document (the motion of whichcorresponds to the ball in the aforementioned analogy) may be damped,for example, by including a friction or dissipative term in thesimulation. A parameter corresponding to the friction term in thesimulation may be adjustable, allowing the document to reach equilibriumin contact with the virtual boundary, or displaced from the virtualboundary.

In some embodiments movement of the point of contact by the user over anindex on the touch-sensitive display may be determined. In someembodiments, the index may be displayed in a first region or a firstwindow of the touch-sensitive display while the list of items orinformation items during the scrolling may be displayed in a secondregion or a second window of the touch-sensitive display. The displayedindex may have a sequence of index items. In an exemplary embodiment,the sequence of index items may include letters in the alphabet, i.e.,the index may include an alphabetical index. The list of informationitems may include an alphabetically ordered list of information items.The alphabetically ordered list of information items may include contactinformation, for example, in a user's contact list or address book.

In response to movement of the user's point of contact over a displayedindex, the list of information items on the touch-sensitive display maybe scrolled. The list of information items may include a sequence ofinformation item subsets corresponding to the sequence of index items.The subsets may include one or more categories. For example, arespective category may include contact information for one or moreindividuals whose first and/or last names begin with one or morerespective letters, such as the letter ‘s’. In an exemplary embodiment,there is a subset corresponding to each letter in the alphabet that hasone or more entries. In some embodiments, the scrolling may be inaccordance with a simulation of an equation of motion having friction.

The scrolling may include scrolling through a respective informationitem subset if the point of contact moves over a correspondingrespective index item in the index items. The scrolling may have anassociated scroll speed based on a speed of movement of the point ofcontact over the respective index item and the number of items in theinformation item subset corresponding to the respective index item. Forexample, the scroll speed may be faster for subsets that have moreentries than subsets with fewer entries. The scrolling may includescrolling through all items in a plurality of the information itemsubsets in response to the point of contact moving over thecorresponding index items in the displayed index.

If it is determined that the point of contact with the index correspondsto a respective index item in the index, the list of information itemsmay be scrolled to a corresponding subset of the list of informationitems. For example, if the user selects an index item, such as theletter ‘R’, in the set of index symbols, the list of items may besmoothly scrolled to the corresponding subset for the letter ‘R’ in thelist of items. Alternatively, the displayed list of information itemsjump directly from a current scroll position to a scroll position inwhich information items corresponding to the index item ‘R’ aredisplayed.

In the present document, the term “if” may be construed to mean “when,”or “upon,” or “in response to determining,” or “in response todetecting,” depending on the context Similarly, the phrase “if it isdetermined” or “if [a stated condition or event] is detected” may beconstrued to mean “upon determining” or “in response to determining” or“upon detecting” the stated condition or event, or “in response todetecting” the stated condition or event, depending on the context.

If the point of contact with the touch-sensitive display corresponds toa user selection of a respective information item in the list ofinformation items, information corresponding to the respectiveinformation item may be displayed on the touch-sensitive display. Forexample, if the user selects a respective name, the correspondingcontact information may be displayed.

While scrolling through respective information subsets, an index symbolmay displayed in conjunction with each respective information itemsubset. In some embodiments, respective index symbols may be displayedadjacent to corresponding subsets (such as displayed text) of the listof information items. In some embodiments, a respective index symbol maybe displayed at an upper edge of a window containing the displayed textof the respective information item subset.

The index symbol corresponding to a respective information subset may betranslucently displayed over the respective information item subset. Thetranslucently displayed index symbol may have a different font colorthan that used to display text in the information item subset, and/or itmay be displayed using a larger font than the font used to display textin the information item subset.

If the list of information items contains no items for a particularindex symbol, i.e., no entries for a particular subset, a first indexsymbol preceding a particular index symbol and a second index symbolfollowing the index symbol may be displayed in conjunction withscrolling through the list of information items from the informationsubset corresponding to the first index symbol to the information subsetcorresponding to the second index symbol. The particular index symbolmay not be displayed in conjunction with the displayed text of the listof information items during the scroll through. For example, display ofa respective index symbol may be skipped when the list of informationitems contains no items for the particular index symbol.

In some embodiments, the list scrolling described here operates withoutdisplaying a scroll bar. Similarly, in some embodiments, the translationof electronic documents described here operates without displayingscroll bars. The user's sweeping motion on the touch-sensitive displayoperation may be performed directly on top of the displayed list ordisplayed electronic document, and may include a sweeping or glidingmotion, near or in contact with the display's surface, along a pathanywhere within a display window in which the list or electronicdocument is displayed. While a scroll bar could potentially be displayedin conjunction with the displayed list, the scrolling or translationdescribed here can be independent of any such scroll bar. In someembodiments, if a scroll bar is used, then an upward movement of a pointof contact on the scroll bar may cause earlier entries in the list to bedisplayed, whereas a downward movement of the point of contact on thescroll bar may cause later entries in the list to be displayed.

In some embodiments, scrolling or translation may be in accordance witha speed of movement of a detected object, such as a speed of movement ofa point of contact. The speed may be a time average of values determinedduring several time intervals. In an exemplary embodiment, the speed,velocity and/or acceleration may be determined over five time intervals,where a respective time interval corresponds to an inverse of a framerate, such as 0.0167 s, of a display. In some embodiments, the speed,velocity and/or acceleration may be determined even when a variableframe rate is used, such as when one or more frames are skipped or notdisplayed. In these embodiments, the speed, velocity, and/oracceleration may be determined two or more times for the respective timeinterval and/or may be projected based on values determined in apreceding and/or a subsequent time interval.

In some embodiments, the scrolling or translation after a useroptionally breaks the contact may be in accordance with the change inthe acceleration and the speed or the velocity in one or more timeintervals prior to the breaking of the contact. For example, thevelocity v_(f) of scrolling or translation one or more time intervalsafter breaking contact may be determined usingv _(f) =v _(o) +αΔt,where v_(o) is a current value of the velocity when the contact isbroken, a is a current value of the acceleration when the contact isbroken and Δt is an elapsed time, such as one time interval. Thevelocities and/or acceleration in such a calculation may be projectedalong an axis or direction of the scrolling or translation. In someembodiments, in subsequent time intervals following the determination ofthe velocity based on the acceleration and/or the velocity in one ormore time intervals prior to the breaking of the contact, the velocityof the scrolling or translation may be tapered. For example, in eachsuccessive time interval the velocity may be decreased by 5%. When thevelocity crosses a lower threshold, it may be set to zero.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 500 of scrolling througha list in accordance with some embodiments. The method 500 provides asimple visual indicator to a user that a terminus of a list has beenreached.

Movement of an object is detected on or near a touch screen display of adevice (502). In some embodiments, the object is a finger. In someembodiments, the device is a portable multifunction device.

In response to detecting the movement, a list of items displayed on thetouch screen display is scrolled in a first direction (504). In someembodiments, the list is a list of email messages, as illustrated inFIGS. 6A-6D. In some embodiments, the list of items is a list of instantmessage conversations, a list of favorite phone numbers, a list ofcontact information (sometimes called a contact list or address booklist), a list of labels, a list of email folders, a list of emailaddresses, a list of physical addresses, a list of ringtones, a list ofalbum names, or a list of bookmarks. In some embodiments, the firstdirection is a vertical direction; in some other embodiments, the firstdirection is a horizontal direction. In some embodiments, scrolling thelist in the first direction prior to reaching a terminus of the list hasan associated scrolling speed corresponding to a speed of movement ofthe object (506). In some embodiments, the list is scrolled inaccordance with a simulation of an equation of motion having friction(508).

If a terminus of the list is reached (e.g., upon reaching the terminusof the list) while scrolling the list in the first direction while theobject is still detected on or near the touch screen display, an areabeyond the terminus of the list is displayed (510-Yes, 514). In someembodiments, the list has a first item and a last item and the terminusis either the first item or the last item. For example, in FIG. 6B theemail 3534 from Aaron Jones is the first item and thus the terminus ofthe corresponding list of emails. In some embodiments, the area beyondthe terminus of the list is white (516). In some embodiments, the listof items has a background and the area beyond the terminus of the listis visually indistinct from the background (518). For example, in FIG.6C both the area 3536 and the background of the listed emails are white.

After the object is no longer detected on or near the touch screendisplay, the list of items is scrolled in a second direction oppositethe first direction until the area beyond the terminus of the list is nolonger displayed (520). In some embodiments, the list is scrolled in thesecond direction using a damped motion (522). In some embodiments, thechange from scrolling the list in the first direction to scrolling thelist in the second direction until the area beyond the terminus of thelist is no longer displayed makes the terminus of the list appear to beelastically attached to an edge of the touch screen display or to anedge displayed on the touch screen display (524).

In some embodiments, scrolling in the first direction prior to reachingthe terminus of the list has a first associated scrolling distance thatcorresponds to a distance of movement of the object prior to reachingthe terminus of the list. For example, a scrolling distance prior toreaching the terminus of the list shown in FIGS. 6A-6D may correspond toa distance traversed on the touch screen display by the swipe gesture3514 before the terminus is reached. Displaying an area beyond theterminus of the list includes scrolling the list in the first directionfor a second associated scrolling distance that is less than a distanceof movement of the object after the terminus is reached. For example, inFIG. 6C, after the terminus is reached the list is scrolled for adistance 3538, which may be less than a distance traversed on the touchscreen display by the swipe gesture 3514 after the terminus is reached.

In some embodiments, scrolling in the first direction prior to reachinga terminus of the list has a first associated scrolling speed thatcorresponds to a speed of movement of the object. For example, ascrolling speed prior to reaching the terminus of the list shown inFIGS. 6A-6D may correspond to a speed on the touch screen display of theswipe gesture 3514 before the terminus is reached. Displaying an areabeyond the terminus of the list includes scrolling the list in the firstdirection at a second associated scrolling speed. The second associatedscrolling speed is slower than the first associated scrolling speed. Forexample, in FIG. 6C, displaying the area 3536 beyond the terminus of thelist may include scrolling the list at a speed that is slower than thescrolling speed before the terminus is reached. In some embodiments, thesecond associated speed is a fraction (e.g., one-half or one-third) ofthe first associated speed. In some embodiments, the second associatedspeed is the square root of the first associated speed.

If a terminus of the list is not reached while scrolling the list in thefirst direction while the object is still detected on or near the touchscreen display, the process 500 is complete (510-No, 512). The process500 may be re-initiated upon subsequent detection of another movement ofan object on or near the touch screen display (502).

FIGS. 6A-6D illustrate the scrolling of a list of items to a terminus ofthe list, at which point an area beyond the terminus is displayed andthe list is then scrolled in an opposite direction until the area beyondthe terminus is no longer displayed, in accordance with someembodiments. While FIGS. 6A-6D illustrate this scrolling in the contextof a portable multifunction device 100, this scrolling is not limited toportable multifunction devices. In the example of FIGS. 6A-6D, thelisted items are email messages; FIGS. 6A-6D illustrate an exemplaryuser interface 3500A for managing an inbox in accordance with someembodiments. An analogous user interface may be used to display andmanage other mailboxes (e.g., drafts, sent, trash, personal, etc.). Inaddition, other types of lists are possible, including but not limitedto lists of instant message conversations, favorite phone numbers,contact information, labels, email folders, email addresses, physicaladdresses, ringtones, album names or bookmarks.

In some embodiments, user interface 3500A include the followingelements, or a subset or superset thereof:

-   -   402, 404, and 406, as described above;    -   a create email icon 3310 that when activated (e.g., by a finger        tap on the icon) initiates display of a UI to create a new email        message;    -   mailboxes icon 3502 that when activated (e.g., by a finger tap        on the icon) initiates the display of a UI listing email        mailboxes (i.e., folders);    -   unread messages icon 3504 that displays the number of unread        messages in the inbox;    -   names 3506 of the senders of the email messages;    -   subject lines 3508 for the email messages;    -   dates 3510 of the email messages;    -   unread message icons 3512 that indicate messages that have not        been opened;    -   preview pane separator 3518 that separates the list of messages        from a preview of a selected message in the list;    -   settings icon 3520 that when activated (e.g., by a finger tap on        the icon) initiates the display of a UI to modify settings;    -   move message icon 3522 that when activated (e.g., by a finger        tap on the icon) initiates the display of a UI to move messages;    -   Delete symbol icon 3524 that when activated (e.g., by a finger        tap on the icon) initiates display of a UI to confirm that the        user wants to delete the selected email;    -   Reply/Forward icon 3526 that when activated (e.g., by a finger        tap on the icon) initiates display of a UI to select how to        reply or forward the selected email;

If the list of emails fills more than the allotted screen area, the usermay scroll through the emails using vertically upward and/or verticallydownward swipe gestures on the touch screen. In the example of FIG. 6A,a portion of a list of emails is displayed in the screen area, includinga top displayed email 3530 from Bruce Walker and a bottom displayedemail 3532 from Kim Brook. A user performs a vertically downward swipegesture 3514 to scroll toward the top of the list. The verticallydownward gesture 3514, which may be a finger gesture, corresponds to themovement of an object on or near the touch screen that is detected inoperation 502 of process 500 (FIG. 5). The vertically downward gesture3514 need not be exactly vertical; a substantially vertical gesture issufficient. In some embodiments, a gesture within a predetermined angleof being perfectly vertical results in vertical scrolling. In oneembodiment, a gesture within 27 degrees of being perfectly verticalresults in vertical scrolling.

As a result of detecting the vertically downward gesture 3514, in FIG.6B the displayed emails have shifted down, such that the previous bottomdisplayed email 3532 from Kim Brook is no longer displayed, the previoustop displayed email 3530 from Bruce Walker is now second from the top,and the email 3534 from Aaron Jones, which was not displayed in FIG. 6A,is now displayed at the top of the list. This shifting of emails is anexample of the scrolling described in operation 504 of process 500 (FIG.5).

In this example, the email 3534 from Aaron Jones is the first email inthe list and thus is the terminus of the list. Upon reaching this email3534, in response to continued detection of the vertically downwardgesture 3514, an area 3536 (FIG. 6C) above the first email 3534 (i.e.,beyond the terminus of the list) is displayed, as described in operation514 of process 500 (FIG. 5). In some embodiments, the area displayedbeyond the terminus of the list is visually indistinct from thebackground of the list, as described in operation 518 of process 500(FIG. 5). In FIG. 6C, both the area 3536 and the background of theemails (e.g., emails 3534 and 3530) are white and thus are visuallyindistinct.

Once vertically downward gesture 3514 is complete, such that acorresponding object is no longer detected on or near the touch screendisplay, the list is scrolled in an opposite direction until the area3536 is no longer displayed. FIG. 6D illustrates the result of thisscrolling in the opposite direction, which corresponds to operation 520of process 500 (FIG. 5): the email 3534 from Aaron Jones is nowdisplayed at the top of the screen area allotted to the list and thearea 3536 is not displayed.

In the example of FIGS. 6A-6D, a vertically downward gesture resulted indisplay of an area beyond the first item in the list. Similarly, avertically upward gesture may result in display of an area beyond thelast item of the list, if the vertically upward gesture continues oncethe list has been scrolled to the last item. The last item may beconsidered a terminus of the list, similar to the first item. Asdiscussed above, the gesture need not be exactly vertical to result invertical scrolling; a gesture within a predefined range of angles fromperfectly vertical is sufficient.

In some embodiments, instead of scrolling a list of items in onedimension, a user may desire to translate an electronic document in twodimensions. If the electronic document fills more than the screen areaallotted to display the document, the screen will only display a portionof the document. The user may translate the electronic document to viewportions of the document that are not initially displayed.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 700 of translating anelectronic document in accordance with some embodiments. The method 700provides a simple visual indicator to a user that one or more edges ofan electronic document are being displayed.

Movement of an object is detected on or near a touch screen display of adevice (702). In some embodiments, the object is a finger. In someembodiments, the device is a portable multifunction device.

In response to detecting the movement, an electronic document displayedon the touch screen display is translated in a first direction (704). Insome embodiments, the electronic document is a web page, as illustratedin FIGS. 8A-8D. In some embodiments, the electronic document is adigital image. In some embodiments, the electronic document is a wordprocessing, spreadsheet, email, or presentation document. In someembodiments, the first direction is a vertical direction, a horizontaldirection, or a diagonal direction. In some embodiments, the firstdirection corresponds to the direction of movement of the objectdetected on or near the display but is not necessarily identical to thedirection of movement of the object.

In some embodiments, translating the electronic document in the firstdirection prior to reaching an edge of the electronic document has anassociated speed of translation corresponding to a speed of movement ofthe object (706). In some embodiments, the electronic document istranslated in accordance with a simulation of an equation of motionhaving friction (708).

If an edge of the electronic document is reached (e.g., upon reachingthe edge of the document) while translating the electronic document inthe first direction while the object is still detected on or near thetouch screen display, an area beyond the edge of the electronic documentis displayed (710-Yes, 714). In some embodiments, the area beyond theedge of the electronic document is black, gray, a solid color, or white(716). In some embodiments, the area beyond the edge of the electronicdocument is visually distinct from the document (718). For example, thearea 3930 beyond the edge of the web page 3912 in FIG. 8C is black, incontrast to the white background of the web page 3912. In some otherembodiments, a wallpaper image such as a picture or pattern may bedisplayed in the area beyond the edge of the electronic document.

After the object is no longer detected on or near the touch screendisplay, the electronic document is translated in a second directionuntil the area beyond the edge of the electronic document is no longerdisplayed (720). For example, in FIG. 8D the web page 3912 has beentranslated such that the area 3930 beyond its edge is no longerdisplayed. In some embodiments, the second direction is opposite thefirst direction. In some embodiments, the electronic document istranslated in the second direction using a damped motion (722). In someembodiments, the change from translating the electronic document in thefirst direction to translating the electronic document in the seconddirection until the area beyond the edge of the electronic document isno longer displayed makes the edge of the electronic document appear tobe elastically attached to an edge of the touch screen display or to anedge displayed on the touch screen display (724).

In some embodiments, translating in the first direction prior toreaching an edge of the electronic document has a first associatedtranslating distance that corresponds to a distance of movement of theobject prior to reaching the edge of the electronic document. Forexample, a distance of translation of the web page 3912 shown in FIGS.8A-8D prior to reaching the edge of the document may correspond to adistance traversed on the touch screen display by the swipe gesture 3925before the edge is reached. In some embodiments, displaying an areabeyond the edge of the electronic document includes translating theelectronic document in the first direction for a second associatedtranslating distance, wherein the second associated translating distanceis less than a distance of movement of the object after reaching theedge of the electronic document. For example, in FIG. 8C, after the edgeis reached the web page 3912 is translated by a distance indicated byopposing arrows 3928-1 and 3928-2, which may be less than a distancetraversed on the touch screen display by the swipe gesture 3925 afterthe terminus is reached.

In some embodiments, translating in the first direction prior toreaching an edge of the electronic document has a first associatedtranslating speed that corresponds to a speed of movement of the object.For example, a speed of translation prior to reaching the edge of theweb page 3912 shown in FIGS. 8A-8D may correspond to a speed of movementof the swipe gesture 3925. Displaying an area beyond the edge of theelectronic document includes translating the electronic document in thefirst direction at a second associated translating speed. The secondassociated translating speed is slower than the first associatedtranslating speed. For example, in FIG. 8C, displaying the area 3930beyond the edge of the web page 3912 may include translating the webpage 3912 at a speed that is slower than the speed of translation beforethe edge is reached. In some embodiments, the second associated speed isa fraction (e.g., one-half or one-third) of the first associated speed.In some embodiments, the second associated speed is the square root ofthe first associated speed.

If an edge of the electronic document is not reached while translatingthe electronic document in the first direction while the object is stilldetected on or near the touch screen display, the process 700 iscomplete (710-No, 712). The process 700 may be re-initiated uponsubsequent detection of another movement of an object on or near thetouch screen display (702).

FIGS. 8A-8D illustrate the translation of an electronic document to anedge of the document, at which point an area beyond the edge isdisplayed and the document is then translated in a second directionuntil the area beyond the edge of the document is no longer displayed,in accordance with some embodiments. While FIGS. 8A-8D illustrate thistranslation in the context of a portable multifunction device 100, thistranslation is not limited to portable multifunction devices. In theexample of FIGS. 8A-8D, the document is a web page 3912; FIGS. 8A-8Dillustrate an exemplary user interface for a browser in accordance withsome embodiments. An analogous user interface may be used to displayother types of electronic documents, such as word processing,spreadsheet, email, presentation documents, or digital images.

In some embodiments, user interface 3900A of FIGS. 8A-8D includes thefollowing elements, or a subset or superset thereof:

-   -   402, 404, and 406, as described above;    -   Previous page icon 3902 that when activated (e.g., by a finger        tap on the icon) initiates display of the previous web page;    -   Web page name 3904;    -   Next page icon 3906 that when activated (e.g., by a finger tap        on the icon) initiates display of the next web page;    -   URL (Uniform Resource Locator) entry box 3908 for inputting URLs        of web pages;    -   Refresh icon 3910 that when activated (e.g., by a finger tap on        the icon) initiates a refresh of the web page;    -   Web page 3912 or other structured document, which is made of        blocks 3914 of text content and other graphics (e.g., images);    -   Settings icon 3916 that when activated (e.g., by a finger tap on        the icon) initiates display of a settings menu for the browser;    -   Bookmarks icon 3918 that when activated (e.g., by a finger tap        on the icon) initiates display of a bookmarks list or menu for        the browser;    -   Add bookmark icon 3920 that when activated (e.g., by a finger        tap on the icon) initiates display of a UI for adding bookmarks;        and    -   New window icon 3922 that when activated (e.g., by a finger tap        on the icon) initiates display of a UI for adding new windows to        the browser.

In some embodiments, the device analyzes the render tree of the web page3912 to determine the blocks 3914 in the web page. In some embodiments,a block 3914 corresponds to a render node that is: replaced; a block; aninline block; or an inline table.

In FIG. 8A, the web page fills more than the allotted screen area: onlythe left sides of block 7 (3914-7) and block 8 (3914-8) are displayedand only the top left corner of block 9 (3914-9) is displayed. To viewthe partially displayed blocks, a user may translate the displayeddocument by gesturing on the touch screen in accordance with someembodiments.

In some embodiments, in response to a substantially vertical upward (ordownward) swipe gesture by the user, the web page (or, more generally,other electronic documents) may translate one-dimensionally upward (ordownward) in the vertical direction. In some embodiments, a gesture isconsidered substantially vertical if it is within a predetermined angleof being perfectly vertical. For example, in response to an upward swipegesture by the user that is within a predetermined angle (e.g., 27°) ofbeing perfectly vertical, the web page may scroll one-dimensionallyupward in the vertical direction.

Conversely, in some embodiments, in response to a gesture that is notwithin a predetermined angle (e.g., 27°) of being perfectly vertical,the web page may translate two-dimensionally (i.e., with simultaneousmovement in both the vertical and horizontal directions). For example,in response to an upward swipe gesture by the user that is not within apredetermined angle (e.g., 27°) of being perfectly vertical, the webpage may translate two-dimensionally along the direction of the swipe.

In the example of FIG. 8A, an upward swipe gesture 3925 is not within apredetermined angle of being perfectly vertical. Therefore, as a resultof detecting the upward swipe gesture 3925, the web page is translatedin two dimensions. In this example, the translation is approximatelydiagonal. FIG. 8B illustrates the result of this translation: blocks 8(3914-8) and 9 (3914-9) are now fully displayed; blocks 1 (3914-1) and 2(3914-2) are now only partially displayed, and block 3 (3914-3) is nolonger displayed at all. This translation is an example of thetranslation described in operation 704 of process 700 (FIG. 7).

In FIG. 8B, block 9 (3914-9) is in the lower right-hand corner of theweb page 3912; both the bottom and right edges of the web page have beenreached while translating the web page. Upon reaching these edges of thedocument, in response to continued detection of the upward gesture 3925,an area 3930 (FIG. 8C) beyond the bottom and right edges of the web pageis displayed. In some embodiments, the area displayed beyond the edge(s)of an electronic document is visually distinct from the document, asdescribed in operation 718 of process 700 (FIG. 7). In FIG. 8C, the area3930 is black and thus is visually distinct from the white background ofthe web page 3912.

Once the upward gesture 3925 is complete, such that a correspondingobject is no longer detected on or near the touch screen display, theweb page 3912 is translated (e.g., in a direction opposite to theoriginal direction of translation) until the area 3930 is no longerdisplayed. FIG. 8D illustrates the result of this translation, whichcorresponds to operation 720 of process 700 (FIG. 7): block 9 (3914-9)is now displayed in the lower right-hand corner of the portion of thescreen allotted to display the web page 3912 and the area 3930 notdisplayed. In some embodiments, the direction of translation is notnecessarily opposite to the original direction but may be in anydirection such that, upon completion of the translation, the area beyondthe edge(s) of the electronic document is no longer displayed.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating a process 900 of displaying anelectronic document having a document length and a document width, inaccordance with some embodiments. The process 900 provides a simplevisual indicator to a user that an electronic document is beingdisplayed at a minimum magnification (e.g., the electronic documentcannot be zoomed out and/or demagnified further).

The process 900 is performed at a device with a touch screen display. Insome embodiments, the device is a portable multifunction device. In someembodiments, the electronic document is a web page (e.g., web page 3912,FIGS. 10A-10C). In some embodiments, the electronic document is adigital image. In some embodiments, the electronic document is a wordprocessing, spreadsheet, email or presentation document.

The electronic document is displayed (902) at a first magnification onthe touch screen display. A gesture is detected (904) on or near thetouch screen display corresponding to a command to zoom out by auser-specified amount. In some embodiments, the gesture is a pinchinggesture (e.g., gesture 3951/3953, FIG. 10A).

In response to detecting the gesture, the electronic document isdisplayed (906) at a magnification less than the first magnification.For example, the web page 3912 is shown at a lesser magnification inFIG. 10B than in FIG. 10A.

If the document length or document width is not entirely displayed(908-No) while the gesture is still detected on or near the touch screendisplay, the process 900 is complete (910).

If, however, the document length (e.g., 3957, FIG. 10B) or documentwidth (e.g., 3959, FIG. 10B) is entirely displayed (908-Yes) while thegesture (e.g., 3951/3953) is still detected on or near the touch screendisplay, the electronic document is displayed (912) at a magnificationwherein areas beyond opposite edges of the electronic document (e.g.,areas 3955, FIG. 10B) are displayed.

In some embodiments, the areas beyond opposite edges of the electronicdocument include an area beyond a top edge of the document and an areabeyond a bottom edge of the document. In some embodiments, the areasbeyond opposite edges of the electronic document include an area beyonda right edge of the document and an area beyond a left edge of thedocument. In some embodiments, the areas beyond opposite edges of theelectronic document include an area beyond a top edge of the document,an area beyond a bottom edge of the document, an area beyond a rightedge of the document, and an area beyond a left edge of the document(e.g., FIG. 10B).

In some embodiments, the areas beyond opposite edges of the electronicdocument are black, gray, a solid color, or white. In some embodiments,the areas beyond opposite edges of the electronic document are visuallydistinct from the document. For example, the areas 3955 (FIG. 10B) areblack and thus are visually distinct from the web page 3912.

Upon detecting termination of the gesture, the electronic document isdisplayed (914) at a magnification wherein the areas beyond oppositeedges of the electronic document are no longer displayed. For example,the areas 3955 are not displayed in FIG. 10C.

FIGS. 10A-10C illustrate the display of an electronic document atmultiple magnifications in accordance with some embodiments. While FIGS.10A-10C illustrate displaying these multiple magnifications in thecontext of a portable multifunction device 100, displaying thesemultiple magnifications is not limited to portable multifunctiondevices. In the example of FIGS. 10A-10C, the document is a web page3912; FIGS. 10A-10C (like FIGS. 8A-8D) illustrate an exemplary userinterface for a browser in accordance with some embodiments. Ananalogous user interface may be used to display other types ofelectronic documents, such as digital images or word processing,spreadsheet, email, or presentation documents.

In FIG. 10A, the web page 3912 is displayed at a first magnification.The web page 3912 fills more than the allotted screen area: only theleft sides of block 7 (3914-7) and block 8 (3914-8) are displayed andonly the top left corner of block 9 (3914-9) is displayed.

In response to detecting a pinching gesture 3951/3953 (FIG. 10A), theweb-page is displayed at a magnification less than the firstmagnification, as shown in FIG. 10B. If a document length 3957 or adocument width 3959 is entirely displayed while the gesture 3951/3953 isstill detected, areas 3955 beyond opposite edges of the web page 3912are displayed. Upon detecting termination of the gesture 3951/3953, theweb page 3912 is displayed at a magnification wherein the areas 3955 areno longer displayed, as shown in FIG. 10C.

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating a process 1100 of displaying anelectronic document at multiple magnifications in accordance with someembodiments. The process 1100 provides a simple visual indicator to auser that an electronic document is being displayed at a maximummagnification (e.g., the electronic document cannot be zoomed in and/ormagnified further).

The process 1100 is performed at a device with a touch screen display.In some embodiments, the device is a portable multifunction device. Insome embodiments, the electronic document is a web page (e.g., web page3912, FIGS. 12A-12C). In some embodiments, the electronic document is adigital image (e.g., digital image 1302, FIGS. 13A-13C). In someembodiments, the electronic document is a word processing, spreadsheet,email or presentation document.

At least a first portion of the electronic document is displayed (1102)at a first magnification. A gesture is detected (1104) on or near thetouch screen display corresponding to a command to zoom in by auser-specified amount. In some embodiments, the gesture is a de-pinchinggesture (e.g., 3931/3933, FIGS. 12A and 13A).

In response to detecting the gesture, decreasing portions of theelectronic document are displayed (1106) at increasing magnifications.For example, in FIG. 12B a decreased portion of the web page 3912 isdisplayed at a higher magnification than the portion in FIG. 12A, and inFIG. 13B a decreased portion of the digital image 1302 is displayed at ahigher magnification than the portion in FIG. 13A.

If, upon detecting termination of the gesture, the magnification doesnot exceed a predefined magnification (1108-No), the process 1100 iscomplete (1110).

If, however, upon detecting termination of the gesture, themagnification exceeds a predefined magnification (1108-Yes), arespective portion of the electronic document is displayed (1112) at thepredefined magnification. In the examples of FIGS. 12B and 13B, themagnification exceeds a predefined magnification. Upon detectingtermination of the gesture 3931/3933, a portion of the web page 3912 isdisplayed at the predefined magnification, as illustrated in FIG. 12C,and a portion of the digital image 1302 is displayed at the predefinedmagnification, as illustrated in FIG. 13C.

In some embodiments, immediately prior to detecting termination of thegesture, a last decreased portion of the electronic document isdisplayed at a first resolution. Upon detecting termination of thegesture, the respective portion of the electronic document is displayedat a second resolution that is greater than the first resolution.

FIGS. 12A-12C illustrate the display of an electronic document atmultiple magnifications in accordance with some embodiments. While FIGS.12A-12C illustrate displaying these multiple magnifications in thecontext of a portable multifunction device 100, displaying thesemultiple magnifications is not limited to portable multifunctiondevices. In the example of FIGS. 12A-12C, the document is a web page3912; FIGS. 12A-12C (like FIGS. 8A-8D) illustrate an exemplary userinterface for a browser in accordance with some embodiments. Ananalogous user interface may be used to display other types ofelectronic documents, such as digital images or word processing,spreadsheet, email, or presentation documents.

In FIG. 12A, a first portion of the web page 3912 is displayed at afirst magnification. The web page 3912 fills more than the allottedscreen area: only the left sides of block 7 (3914-7) and block 8(3914-8) are displayed and only the top left corner of block 9 (3914-9)is displayed.

In response to detecting a de-pinching gesture 3931/3933 (FIG. 12A),decreasing portions of the web-page 3912 are displayed at increasingmagnifications compared to the magnification shown in FIG. 12A. Forexample, the portion of the web page 3912 shown in FIG. 12B is smallerthan and has a higher magnification than the portion of the web page3912 shown in FIG. 12A.

In the example of FIG. 12B, the magnification exceeds a predefinedmagnification. Upon detecting termination of the gesture 3931/3933, aportion of the web page 3912 is displayed at the predefinedmagnification, as illustrated in FIG. 12C.

FIGS. 13A-13C illustrate the display of an electronic document atmultiple magnifications in accordance with some embodiments. While FIGS.13A-13C illustrate displaying these multiple magnifications in thecontext of a portable multifunction device 100, displaying thesemultiple magnifications is not limited to portable multifunctiondevices. In the example of FIGS. 13A-13C, the document is a digitalimage 1302 that includes an image of a person 1304.

In FIG. 13A, a digital image 1302 is displayed at a first magnification.In response to detecting a de-pinching gesture 3931/3933, decreasingportions of the digital image 1302 are displayed at increasingmagnifications compared to the magnification shown in FIG. 13A. Forexample, the portion of the digital image 1302 shown in FIG. 13B issmaller than and has a higher magnification than the portion of thedigital image 1302 shown in FIG. 13A.

In the example of FIG. 13B, the magnification exceeds a predefinedmagnification. Upon detecting termination of the gesture 3931/3933, aportion of the digital image 1302 is displayed at the predefinedmagnification, as illustrated in FIG. 13C.

FIG. 14 is a flow diagram illustrating a process 1400 of executing ascreen rotation command in accordance with some embodiments. The process1400 provides a simple visual indicator to a user that the user has notprovided a sufficient gesture to initiate a 90° screen rotation command.

The process 1400 is performed at a device with a touch screen display.In some embodiments, the device is a portable multifunction device.

A multifinger twisting gesture (e.g., 1506, FIG. 15A, or 1508, FIG. 15C)is detected (1402) on or near the touch screen display. The multifingertwisting gesture has a corresponding degree of rotation. In someembodiments, the multifinger twisting gesture includes gestures by twothumbs 1604-L and 1604-R (FIGS. 16A and 16D)

If the corresponding degree of rotation exceeds a predefined degree ofrotation (1404-Yes), a 90° screen rotation command is executed (1406).For example, the digital image 1502 of FIGS. 15A and 16A is rotated froma portrait orientation to a landscape orientation, as shown respectivelyin FIGS. 15B and 16B.

If the corresponding degree of rotation does not exceed a predefineddegree of rotation (1404-No), a screen rotation command with an acuteangle of rotation (i.e., less than 90°) is executed (1408). For example,the digital image 1502 of FIGS. 15C and 16D is rotated by an acuteangle, as shown respectively in FIGS. 15D and 16E. Upon ceasing todetect the multifinger twisting gesture, a screen rotation command isexecuted (1410) with an angle of rotation opposite to the acute angle(e.g., with the result shown in FIGS. 15E and 16F).

FIGS. 15A-15E illustrate rotating the display of an electronic documentor other digital object in accordance with some embodiments. While FIGS.15A-15E illustrate display rotation in the context of a portablemultifunction device 100, display rotation is not limited to portablemultifunction devices. In the example of FIGS. 15A-15E, the electronicdocument is a digital image 1502.

In FIGS. 15A and 15C, the digital image 1502 is displayed in a portraitorientation. A multifinger twisting gesture 1506 (FIG. 15A) or 1508(FIG. 15C) is detected on the touch screen display. The multifingertwisting gesture 1506 or 1508 has a corresponding degree of rotation. Insome embodiments, the degree of rotation corresponds to a degree ofrotation of an axis between the contact points on the touch screendisplay of the two fingers in the multifinger gesture (e.g., an axisbetween the center points or centroids of the contact regions of the twofingers).

In the example of FIG. 15A, the multifinger twisting gesture 1506 has acorresponding degree of rotation that exceeds a predefined degree ofrotation. Thus, a 90° screen rotation command is executed, with theresult that the digital image is displayed in a landscape orientation,as shown in FIG. 15B. In the example of FIG. 15C, however, themultifinger twisting gesture 1508 has a corresponding degree of rotationthat does not exceed a predefined degree of rotation. A screen rotationcommand with an acute angle of rotation is executed, with the resultshown in FIG. 15D. Upon ceasing to detect the multifinger twistinggesture 1508, a screen rotation command with an angle opposite to theacute angle is executed, with the result that the portrait orientationof the digital image 1502 is restored, as shown in FIG. 15E.

FIGS. 16A-16F illustrate an exemplary screen rotation gesture inaccordance with some embodiments. While FIGS. 16A-16F illustrate thisscreen rotation gesture in the context of a portable multifunctiondevice 100, this screen rotation gesture is not limited to portablemultifunction devices. In the example of FIGS. 16A-16F, this screenrotation gesture is used to rotate the digital image 1502.

In FIG. 16A, the device 100 displays the digital image 1502 in aportrait orientation. Simultaneous rotation of two thumbs (e.g., 1604-Land 1604-R) in a first sense of rotation is detected on the touch screendisplay 112. In some embodiments, the first sense of rotation is aclockwise rotation (e.g., FIG. 16C). The simultaneous rotation of thetwo thumbs has a corresponding degree of rotation.

In some embodiments, the sense of rotation for each thumb is detected bymonitoring the change in orientation of the contact area of the thumbwith the touch screen display. For example, if the contact area of thethumb is elliptical, the change in the orientation of an axis of theellipse may be detected (e.g., from contact ellipse 1606-L in FIG. 16Ato contact ellipse 1608-L in FIG. 16B, as shown on an enlarged portionof touch screen 112 in FIG. 16C). In some embodiments, the change in theorientation of the axis of the ellipse determines the correspondingdegree of rotation. In some embodiments, at least some of a user's otherfingers (i.e., fingers other than thumbs 1604-L and 1604-R) support thedevice 100 by contacting the backside of the device.

In some embodiments, the first sense of rotation is a counterclockwiserotation. For example, if thumb 1604-L is initially on the lower leftside of touch screen 112 (rather than the upper left side in FIG. 16A),thumb 1604-R is initially on the upper right side of touch screen 112(rather than the lower right side in FIG. 16A), and the thumbs are movedapart from each other, then the sense of rotation detected by the touchscreen 112 will be counterclockwise for both thumbs.

If the corresponding degree of rotation exceeds a predefined degree ofrotation, a 90° screen rotation command is executed. For example,display of the digital image 1502 is rotated from the portraitorientation of FIG. 16A to a landscape orientation in FIG. 16B.

If, however, the corresponding degree of rotation does not exceed apredefined degree of rotation, a screen rotation command with an acuteangle of rotation is executed. For example, the digital image 1502 inFIG. 16D is rotated by an acute angle, with the result shown in FIG.16E. Once detection of the two thumbs 1604-L and 1604-R ceases, a screenrotation command with an angle of rotation opposite to the acute angleis executed, thereby restoring the digital image 1502 to a portraitorientation, as shown in FIG. 16F.

While FIGS. 6A-6D, 8A-8D, 10A-10C, 12A-12C, 13A-13C, 15A-15E, and16A-16F illustrate scrolling, translation, scaling, and rotationoperations in the context of a portable multifunction device 100,similar operations may be performed on any device with a touch-screendisplay, in accordance with some embodiments. The device, such as device1700 below, may or may not be portable and the function or functionsperformed by the device may vary.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustrating a device 1700 with atouch-screen display in accordance with some embodiments. Device 1700need not be portable. The device 1700 typically includes one or moreprocessing units (CPU's) 1710, one or more network or othercommunications interfaces 1760, memory 1770, and one or morecommunication buses 1720 for interconnecting these components. Thecommunication buses 1720 may include circuitry (sometimes called achipset) that interconnects and controls communications between systemcomponents. The device 1700 includes a user interface 1730 comprising atouch-screen display 1740. The user interface 1730 also may include akeyboard and/or mouse (or other pointing device) 1750. Memory 1770includes high-speed random access memory, such as DRAM, SRAM, DDR RAM orother random access solid state memory devices; and may includenon-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic disk storage devices,optical disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or othernon-volatile solid state storage devices. Memory 1770 may optionallyinclude one or more storage devices remotely located from the CPU(s)1710. In some embodiments, memory 1770 stores programs, modules, anddata structures analogous to the programs, modules, and data structuresstored in the memory 102 of portable multifunction device 100 (FIG. 1),or a subset thereof. Furthermore, memory 1770 may store additionalprograms, modules, and data structures (not shown) not present in thememory 102 of portable multifunction device 100.

Each of the above identified elements in FIG. 17 may be stored in one ormore of the previously mentioned memory devices. Each of the aboveidentified modules corresponds to a set of instructions for performing afunction described above. The above identified modules or programs(i.e., sets of instructions) need not be implemented as separatesoftware programs, procedures or modules, and thus various subsets ofthese modules may be combined or otherwise re-arranged in variousembodiments. In some embodiments, memory 1770 may store a subset of themodules and data structures identified above. Furthermore, memory 1770may store additional modules and data structures not described above.

The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has beendescribed with reference to specific embodiments. However, theillustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or tolimit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modificationsand variations are possible in view of the above teachings. Theembodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and its practical applications, to therebyenable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention andvarious embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

1. A device, comprising: a touch screen display; one or more processors;memory; and one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs arestored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or moreprocessors, the programs including instructions for: detecting amovement of an object on the touch screen display; scrolling a list ofitems displayed on the touch screen display in a first direction inresponse to detecting the movement; displaying an area beyond a terminusof the list if the terminus of the list is reached while scrolling thelist in the first direction while the object is still detected on thetouch screen display; and scrolling the list in a second directionopposite the first direction until the area beyond the terminus of thelist is no longer displayed, in response to detecting that the object isno longer on the touch screen display.
 2. The device of claim 1, whereinthe device is a portable multifunction device.
 3. The device of claim 1,wherein the movement of the object is on the touch screen display. 4.The device of claim 1, wherein the object is a finger.
 5. The device ofclaim 1, wherein the first direction is a vertical direction or ahorizontal direction.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein scrolling in thefirst direction prior to reaching the terminus of the list has a firstassociated scrolling distance that corresponds to a distance of movementof the object prior to reaching the terminus of the list; and whereindisplaying an area beyond the terminus of the list comprises scrollingthe list in the first direction for a second associated scrollingdistance, wherein the second associated scrolling distance is less thana distance of movement of the object after reaching the terminus of thelist.
 7. The device of claim 1, wherein scrolling in the first directionprior to reaching the terminus of the list has a first associatedscrolling speed that corresponds to a speed of movement of the object,and wherein displaying an area beyond the terminus of the list comprisesscrolling the list in the first direction at a second associatedscrolling speed, wherein the second associated scrolling speed is slowerthan the first associated scrolling speed.
 8. A computer-implementedmethod, comprising: at a device with a touch screen display: detecting amovement of an object on the touch screen display; scrolling a list ofitems displayed on the touch screen display in a first direction inresponse to detecting the movement; displaying an area beyond a terminusof the list if the terminus of the list is reached while scrolling thelist in the first direction while the object is still detected on thetouch screen display; and scrolling the list in a second directionopposite the first direction until the area beyond the terminus of thelist is no longer displayed, in response to detecting that the object isno longer on the touch screen display.
 9. The computer-implementedmethod of claim 8, wherein scrolling in the first direction prior toreaching a terminus of the list has an associated scrolling speed thatcorresponds to a speed of movement of the object.
 10. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein scrolling in the firstdirection is in accordance with a simulation of an equation of motionhaving friction.
 11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, whereinscrolling the list in a second direction is a damped motion.
 12. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein scrolling in the firstdirection prior to reaching the terminus of the list has a firstassociated scrolling distance that corresponds to a distance of movementof the object prior to reaching the terminus of the list; and whereindisplaying an area beyond the terminus of the list comprises scrollingthe list in the first direction for a second associated scrollingdistance, wherein the second associated scrolling distance is less thana distance of movement of the object after reaching the terminus of thelist.
 13. A graphical user interface on a device with a touch screendisplay, comprising: a portion of a list of items displayed on the touchscreen display; and an area beyond a terminus of the list; wherein: inresponse to detecting a movement of an object on the touch screendisplay, the list is scrolled in a first direction; if the terminus ofthe list is reached while scrolling the list in the first directionwhile the object is still detected on the touch screen display, the areabeyond the terminus of the list is displayed; and in response todetecting that the object is no longer on the touch screen display, thelist is scrolled in a second direction opposite the first directionuntil the area beyond the terminus of the list is no longer displayed.14. The graphical user interface of claim 13, wherein the list of itemsis a list of instant message conversations, a list of favorite phonenumbers, a list of contact information, a list of labels, a list ofemail folders, a list of email messages, a list of email addresses, alist of physical addresses, a list of ringtones, a list of album names,or a list of bookmarks.
 15. The graphical user interface of claim 13,wherein the area beyond the edge of the list is white.
 16. The graphicaluser interface of claim 13, wherein the list of items has a backgroundand the area beyond the edge of the list is visually indistinct from thebackground.
 17. The graphical user interface of claim 13, wherein thelist has a first item and a last item and the terminus of the list isthe first item or the last item.
 18. The graphical user interface ofclaim 13, wherein scrolling in the first direction prior to reaching theterminus of the list has a first associated scrolling distance thatcorresponds to a distance of movement of the object prior to reachingthe terminus of the list; and wherein displaying an area beyond theterminus of the list comprises scrolling the list in the first directionfor a second associated scrolling distance, wherein the secondassociated scrolling distance is less than a distance of movement of theobject after reaching the terminus of the list.
 19. A non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium having stored therein instructions,which when executed by a device with a touch screen display, cause thedevice to: detect a movement of an object on the touch screen display;scroll a list of items displayed on the touch screen display in a firstdirection in response to detecting the movement; display an area beyonda terminus of the list if the terminus of the list is reached whilescrolling the list in the first direction while the object is stilldetected on the touch screen display; and scroll the list in a seconddirection opposite the first direction until the area beyond theterminus of the list is no longer displayed, in response to detectingthat the object is no longer on the touch screen display.
 20. Thecomputer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein changing fromscrolling in the first direction to scrolling in the second directionuntil the area beyond the terminus of the list is no longer displayedmakes the terminus of the list appear to be elastically attached to anedge of the touch screen display or to an edge displayed on the touchscreen display.
 21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19,wherein scrolling in the first direction prior to reaching the terminusof the list has a first associated scrolling distance that correspondsto a distance of movement of the object prior to reaching the terminusof the list; and wherein displaying an area beyond the terminus of thelist comprises scrolling the list in the first direction for a secondassociated scrolling distance, wherein the second associated scrollingdistance is less than a distance of movement of the object afterreaching the terminus of the list.